believe it or not

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It's true, whether or not you agree, as in Believe it or not, I finally finished painting the house. Originating in the 1800s, this phrase gained currency as the title of a cartoon series begun in 1918 by Robert Ripley and continuing to run in American newspapers long after his death in 1949. Each drawing presented a strange but supposedly true phenomenon, such as a two-headed chicken.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby believe it or not

belie, belied, belief, belies, believe, believe it or not, believe one's ears, believer, believing, belike, Belinda

How to use believe it or not in a sentence

As this list shows, punishments typically run to a short-ish jail sentence and/or a moderately hefty fine.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The death toll, which experts believe has been significantly undercut by secret burials, stands at 7,905.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine|Abby Haglage|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Three quarters of those people believe the end of the world is nigh.
The Evangelical Apocalypse Is All Your Fault|Jay Michaelson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST

I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.
Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society|Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He did believe you, more or less, and what you said fell in with his own impressions—strange impressions that they were, poor man!
Confidence|Henry James
I believe that these are ideal characters constructed from still more ancient legends and traditions.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
"I verily believe they're gone to look at my button," cried Davy, beginning to laugh, in spite of his fears.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
I cannot believe that God would think it necessary to come on earth as a man, and die on the Cross.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
I cannot believe that a good God would create or tolerate a Devil, nor that he would allow the Devil to tempt man.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford